Multi-component blending system

Abstract

A blending system incorporating a blender with an operating cavity housing a plurality of elongate rod elements extending at least partially along the length of the operating cavity such that controlled relative movement between the rod elements and a multi-constituent composition within the operating cavity causes the development of predefined structures within the multi-constituent composition. The cavity within the blender incorporates a diminished cross-section in the vicinity of its terminal end. Methods to provide controlled development of microstructures and properties are also provided.

1. A chaotic advection blending system for imparting controlled structure to a multi-component fluid composition that may optionally include solid or other additives, the system comprising: a blender comprising a walled cavity having an outboard boundary wall, the cavity housing a plurality of elongate rod elements extending at least partially along the length of the cavity, and wherein the walled cavity constricts to a reduced cross-sectional area adjacent to an outlet port such that portions of the outboard boundary wall extend inward to positions in crossing relation to the central axis of at least a portion of said rod elements such that said portions of the outboard boundary wall define an alignable support surface for at least a portion of the rod elements at positions outboard of the outlet port. 
     
     
       2. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the rod elements comprise a body portion tapered to a distal end portion having a cross-sectional area less than the body portion. 
     
     
       3. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity comprises a plurality of inwardly projecting protuberant surfaces of substantially smooth rounded profile projecting towards positions between at least a portion of said rod elements. 
     
     
       4. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a substantially oval cross-sectional geometry. 
     
     
       5. The invention as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said cavity houses two elongate rod elements. 
     
     
       6. The invention as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said cavity comprises a pair of substantially opposing inwardly projecting protuberant surfaces of substantially smooth rounded profile projecting towards positions between said rod elements. 
     
     
       7. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a substantially annular cross-section bordered by an inboard boundary wall disposed in radially spaced opposing relation to the outboard boundary wall. 
     
     
       8. The invention as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the elongate rod elements are arranged circumferentially around the inboard boundary wall. 
     
     
       9. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity comprises an elongate slot structure housing three or more elongate rod elements arranged in side by side relation. 
     
     
       10. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a multi-lobal cross-sectional geometry comprising a plurality of lobes extending away from the center of the cavity and wherein a rod element is disposed at least partially within each of said lobes. 
     
     
       11. The invention as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the cavity has a tri-lobal cross sectional geometry. 
     
     
       12. The invention as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the cavity comprises an outboard boundary wall having inwardly projecting protuberant surfaces of substantially smooth rounded profile disposed between the lobes and projecting towards positions between said rod elements. 
     
     
       13. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet port is positioned such that the major cross-sectional dimension of the outlet port is oriented in transverse angled relation to the major cross-sectional dimension of the cavity. 
     
     
       14. The invention as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least a percentage of the elongate rod elements comprise outer surfaces that are at least one of roughened or ridged. 
     
     
       15. A chaotic advection blending system for imparting controlled structure to a multi-component fluid composition that may optionally include solid or other additives, the system comprising: a blender comprising a cavity having an outboard boundary wall, the cavity housing a plurality of elongate rod elements extending at least partially along the length of the cavity, wherein at least a portion of the rod elements comprise a body portion tapered to a distal end portion having a diameter less than the body portion and wherein the walled cavity constricts to a reduced cross-sectional area adjacent an outlet port such that portions of the outboard boundary wall extend inward to positions in opposing relation to at least a portion of the rod elements substantially in line with the central axis of said rod elements such that said portions of the outboard boundary wall define an alignable support surface for at least a portion of the rod elements at positions outboard of the outlet port, wherein said rod elements are operatively connected to motion inducing units adapted to impart at least one of rotational or oscillatory movement to said rod elements and wherein the system further comprises a plurality of material delivery units adapted to feed metered quantities of blend components to the cavity, wherein the motion inducing units and material delivery units are operatively connected to at least one process control unit programmed to operate the motion inducing units and material delivery units with reference to compiled information expressed in terms of compositional makeup and blending degree to yield defined microstructure or physical property characteristics. 
     
     
       16. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the process control unit is programmed to yield substantially steady state morphology characteristics to the fluid composition and a resulting extrudate product. 
     
     
       17. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the process control unit is programmed to yield morphology characteristics to the fluid composition and a resulting extrudate product that vary in a pre-defined controlled manner. 
     
     
       18. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the process control unit is programmed to yield a progressive morphology change within the fluid composition and a resulting extrudate product. 
     
     
       19. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the process control unit is programmed to yield a regressive morphology change within the fluid composition and a resulting extrudate product. 
     
     
       20. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the process control unit is programmed to yield combinations of progressive and regressive morphology changes in the fluid composition and a resulting extrudate product. 
     
     
       21. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said cavity houses two elongate rod elements. 
     
     
       22. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the cavity has a substantially annular cross-section bordered by an inboard boundary wall disposed in radially spaced opposing relation to the outboard boundary wall. 
     
     
       23. The invention as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the elongate rod elements are arranged circumferentially around the inboard boundary wall. 
     
     
       24. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the cavity has a tri-lobal cross sectional geometry housing three rod elements. 
     
     
       25. The invention as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the cavity comprises an outboard boundary wall having inwardly projecting protuberant surfaces of substantially smooth rounded profile disposed between the lobes and projecting towards positions between said rod elements. 
     
     
       26. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the outlet port is positioned such that the major cross-sectional dimension of the outlet port is oriented in transverse angled relation to the major cross-sectional dimension of the cavity. 
     
     
       27. The invention as recited in  claim 15 , wherein at least a percentage of the elongate rod elements comprise outer surfaces that are at least one of roughened or ridged. 
     
     
       28. A chaotic advection blending system for imparting controlled structure to a multi-component fluid composition that may optionally include solid or other additives, the system comprising: a blender comprising a walled cavity having an outboard boundary wall, the cavity housing a plurality of elongate rod elements extending at least partially along the length of the cavity, and wherein the walled cavity constricts to a reduced cross-sectional area adjacent to an outlet port such that portions of the outboard boundary wall extend inward to positions in crossing relation to the central axis of at least a portion of said rod elements such that said portions of the outboard boundary wall define a support surface for at least a portion of the rod elements, wherein at least a percentage of the rod elements comprise a body portion tapered to a distal end portion having a cross-sectional area less than the body portion and wherein said distal end portion is housed in inserted relation within an aligned opening disposed within the boundary wall at a position outboard of the outlet port.